Morning Bag Skate: 12-16-21

This is your daily thread to talk about the latest hockey news.

BLACKHAWKS

RECAPS: Blackhawks 5, Capitals 4 (SCH) (Japers’ Rink) (Tribune) (Sun-Times)

Blackhawks reach settlement with Kyle Beach (SCH) (Tribune) (Sun-Times) (The Athletic)

How Derek King took the Blackhawks from the NHL’s worst defensive team to one of its stingiest (The Athletic)

As COVID-19 cases spike around NHL, healthy Blackhawks hope to avoid outbreak (Sun-Times)

Blackhawks hoping to finally progress past “one-and-done” offense (Sun-Times)

Five things we learned at Blackhawks practice (Tribune)

Powers Points: Kyle Beach’s mediation with the Blackhawks, Lukas Reichel and the world juniors (The Athletic)

Blackhawks Bits: Reese Johnson to IR; Connolly, Entwistle recalled (SCH)

Brett Connolly ready to seize long-awaited opportunity with Blackhawks (Sun-Times)

Blackhawks game postponed by Flames’ COVID outbreak (SCH) (Sun-Times) (Tribune)

RECAPS: Maple Leafs 5, Blackhawks 4 (SCH) (Pension Plan Puppets) (Sun-Times) (Tribune) (The Athletic)

Derek King should take his lumps like any other coach, but he doesn’t deserve Mike Milbury’s cheap shots (Tribune)

Riley Stillman quietly establishing career stability, third-pair reliability with Blackhawks (Sun-Times)

Philipp Kurashev hoping for December turnaround (Sun-Times)

RECAPS: Blackhawks 2, Canadiens 0 (SCH) (Habs Eyes on the Prize) (Sun-Times) (Tribune) (The Athletic)

CENTRAL DIVISION

RECAP: Rangers 3, Coyotes 2 (NHL)

Hurricanes-Wild postponed due to COVID-19 (NHL)

Khudobin placed on waivers by Stars (NHL)

Wheeler out weeks for Jets with knee injury (NHL)

Blues place Perron on retroactive LTIR, among other roster moves (St. Louis Game Time)

Coyotes not a threat to relocate, Bettman says (ESPN)

Lazerus: Welcome to the NHL, where dinosaurs still roam the earth (The Athletic)

Blues to use fourth-string goalie on Thursday (NHL)

Jets’ Pionk suspended 2 games for kneeing (NHL)

NHL

RECAP: Ducks 4, Kraken 1 (NHL)

Ontario to reduce capacity limits at sporting events (TSN)

Latest updates on the NHL and COVID-19: Postponements, protocols, the Olympics and more (ESPN)

Flames have fourth game postponed (NHL)

Bergeron, Marchand in COVID-19 protocol (NHL)

Fabbri signs 3-year contract with Red Wings (NHL)

Edler placed on injured reserve by Kings (NHL)

NHLPA raises Olympic COVID concerns: report (NHL)

Canucks hire Rutherford to oversee “new vision” (ESPN)

Coyotes pay taxes, won’t be iced out of arena (ESPN)

Spezza appeals six-game suspension (NHL)

Guentzel week-to-week for Penguins (NHL)

Spezza suspended six games for kneeing (Pension Plan Puppets)

Flyers fire Alain Vigneault, name Mike Yeo interim coach (Broad Street Hockey)

Dog takes dump at center ice, creates metaphor for Flyers season (Broad Street Hockey)

HOCKEY WORLD

McDavid: Olympics’ COVID protocols “unsettling” (ESPN)

Canada announces roster for World Juniors (NHL)

Women’s hockey is finally coming to EA Sports’ NHL franchise (The Ice Garden)

China in for Olympic hockey despite concerns (ESPN)

What will the moment be like for McDavid to be on the same team as Crosby? (TSN)

Canada closing its border to unvaccinated professional, amateur athletes on Jan. 15 (TSN)